Chennai Super Kings needed 150 to clinch their fourth IPL title and when Shane Watson, who was woefully out of form the entire tournament, started humming along, they were always going to be the favourites. However, despite the meltdown in the middle-order and despite, the slightly controversial run-out of MS Dhoni, the defending champions still needed 9 runs off the final over and Rohit Sharma threw the ball to Lasith Malinga.
It was a brilliant over by the veteran, Yorkers, slower balls, and keeping his calm – he gave away only seven runs as Mumbai Indians went all the way to bag their fourth IPL crown. Epic scenes followed and MS Dhoni conceded after the match that it was not perfect tournament for his side, but his bowlers kept getting the job done.
'The middle order wasn't great'
"As a team we had a good season. But we need to go back and reflect on how we reached the finals. It's not one of those years where we played really great cricket to reach here. The middle order wasn't great, and today it was very funny as to how both teams were only passing on the trophy from one team to the other," the skipper said after the match.
Speaking on the final, Dhoni believed that both sides made a lot of mistakes and in the end, the side which made fewer mistakes walked away with the match. He also said that they need to rethink few things, but not the focus will shift to the World Cup.
"Both teams made a lot of mistakes, the team that made one lesser mistake won. I think the bowlers did really well for us, even today it was definitely more than a 150 wicket. They kept performing and kept getting wickets whenever needed," he further added.
With MS Dhoni, there are always whispers about his own cricketing career and whether or not, he will continue playing after the World Cup. The skipper said that hopefully, he is back next season, a statement which drew raucous applause.
"We have to go to our drawing board, and there is no real time for that now. We need to go into the World Cup and after that we need to see the gaps that we can fill. Nothing against the bowlers, it's the batsmen who need to step up. [Will he be there in the next season?] Hopefully yes," Dhoni said.
